Car coupling head



Jan. 16, 1923.

J. H. FUNK, CAR COUPLING HEAD. FILED FEB,

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Jan. 16, 1923.

CAR COUPLING HEAD Fl LED FEB 4, 1920.

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JOHN H. FUNK, OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL CAR AND HOSE COUPLER COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF ABI- ZONA.

GAR COUPLING HEAD.

Application filed February 4, 1920. Serial No. 356,173.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. FUNK, a citizen of the United States residing at Oklahoma city, in the county of Oklahoma and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car Coupling Heads; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to car coupler heads and elements in cooperation therewith.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved means of disengaging car coupler knuckles.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved knuckle integrally formed and protruding from the car coupler head and to provide a knuckle that will cooperate with a mating coupler head and also with a Janney type of knuckle and that is provided with a contour that will conform to the movement of the Janney coupler in seating itself therein and to provide an improved face on the front of said knuckle. It has been found that in car couplers of the type herein in which a pair of latch members are mounted respectively in the opposed coupler heads and provided with means for latching in the other wall of the opposed head that a horizontally pivoted crank on the coupler head for manual op eration is undesirable. It has been further found that in the use of the crank heretofore devised for this purpose that this lever very frequently gets in the way of the coupling operation and obstructs coupling. It is an object of this invention to provide an improved mount for this lever to position the point of engagement with a chain at the rear of the coupler head and in a substantially medial vertical position. and to provide a stop upon this lever which will prevent its going except to a predetermined position and will cause it to rebound so that it will not be in engagement or obstruct the locking of the coupler head. It has been found also that in latch. members pivoted in the wall of an opposed coupler to the one being coupled that abundant clearance can he left between the latch and the Wall of the coupler being engaged by said latch and at the same time a seat can be provided upon the wall of the coupler in which the said latch is pivoted and it is an object of this invention to provide a seat of this character which allows for the free play of the opposed coupler head without disturbing the latch and also admits of the taking up of wear in the said head by an angular face on said latch.

In car couplers of this type, which is illustrated in the pending applications Serial Nos. 205,103 and 205,102 and Patent No. 1,363,973, in which an angular movement of one latch is caused by a reverse angular movement of a latch in an opposed heath I have discovered that by producing a hump hereinafter described on the latch member being moved by the other latch member that I can accomplish a much more effective un coupling and much less troublesome coupler. It is an object of this invention to provide for the advantages and overcome the difficulties aforementioned.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction, the combinatioin the detail, and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of my improved coupler head.

Figure 2 is a section partly in elevation slightly lower down in said coupler head showing latches partly disengaged.

Figure 3 is a section partly in elevation still further down in said coupler head in which the latches are in engagement.

Figure 4: is a horizontal sectional view through a single one of the coupler heads with the latches removed.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a back elevation of Figure 4.

In, the embodiment of my invention 1 provide a structure in which there is mounted in ternally of hollow coupler head a latch memher 1 pivoted at the wall of said coupler head at 3 and provided with a latch face l for engagement in an aperture 5 of a complementary coupler head and which is also provided with a projection 6 backward from the latch face to engage upon a projection. 7 from the opposed latch. member carried by said complement-ary head, which projections are so designed as to be normally engaged to maintain the latches in locked position against jaws. In addition to this organization a latches simultaneously.

seat 10 is provided on the .latch member which engages the head in which itis pivoted at a point near the face of said coupler head. if he latch no other point of contact in either of said heads except upon the angular face that engages the recess in the wall of the coupler head for latching. I also provide a hump or cam face 12 adjacent the projection 7, which operates when engaged by the projections 6 of the opposing latch to swing it upon its pivot. 1 also pivot lever 8 at l3-on a vertical axis thus bringing the perforation 9 adapted to receive an opcrating chain (not shown) at the rear of the coupler head and substantially medial vertically of said head. I also provide on lever 8 a stop 21, which prevents lever S from going into the coupler head further than a predetermined position. Lever 8 is adapted to operate-on the latch of the complementary head to release through cam face 12, both I also provide an improved means of gravitating the coupler head into alignment relative to a vertical pivot la by providing abevel surface 15 and I6 on'both's ides of said pivot. Each coupler head is formed with. an integral knuckle 17 projecting forward and on one side of the open face, the knuckles of comating heads being formed on opposite sides of the respective heads. Each knuckle 17 is provided with a slot having a contour at 18 which conforms t-o-the normal track taken by the latch member 1 which plays therein and each knuckle is also provided with exterior beveled faces 19 which provide for the positive and accurate insertion of the knuckle into the opposed coupler head. Intermediate the bevelled faces 19 is a rounded and hardened nose 20 adapted to receive and withstand the brunt ofzthe initial coupling engagements. Claims:

.1. In a car coupler, a head, a latch member pivotally mounted at-the outer wall of said head, said latch member provided with a projection transverse said head to engage with a-like'latch member in an opposed head to maintainthe latter against accidental displacement and having a cam surface adjacent said projection to effect uncoupling of one of said latch members by the uncoupling of the other of said latch members.

In a structure as described in claim 1, a lever for operating said latch member, said lever provided with a stop to prevent said lever from going beyond the predetermined said knuckle bridged forward ofthe path of said latch member and provided with a bevelled end. i

5. In a car coupler, a hollow car coupler head, an integrally formed protruding knuckle extending forward of said head for coupling with a Janney coupler, a latch member pivotally mounted in saidhead and movable angularly through. said knuckle, saidknuckle bridged forward of the path of said latch member provided with a hooking surface conforming in contour to :the path ofthe protruding face of a Janney coupler in moving angularly into a locked position.

6. In a car coupler, a car coupler head having mounted thereto a latch member for engagement in a companion coupler head, a cam face on said latch member to guide a like latch member in said companion head into latching relation and also to cause a simultaneous uncoupling of both said latch members by the uncoupling of one of said latch members, said cam surface provided with a hump at the point of relative engagement of sald latch. members.

In testimony whereof I a'liix my signature.

JOHN H. FUNK. 

